Posted by Laurie1041 on May 28, 2011, at 9:37:42
In reply to Re: Med Crisis - Lost faith in pdoc need input! » Laurie1041, posted by Phillipa on May 27, 2011, at 19:17:11
> Laurie also was an RN and regretfully could not return to nursing. In my case panic due to hasimotos thyroiditis, dx of chronic lymes disease, and docs that thought I was taking benzos unnessecairily were the downfall of me. I do miss nursing a lot. Hoping you are able to return. Now got medical problems and retirement age. Nursing were the best days of my life. Phillipa
Hi Phillipa,
I have followed your posts for many, many years. If you had never mentioned you were an RN, I would most certainly have guessed it. I witness your caring and compassion every time I sign on to this forum and I always relate to what you have to say. Would you agree that there is just something about nurses that you can spot a mile away? What that "something" is, I am not quite sure, but I have yet to be wrong when I say to a new acquaintance, "You must be an RN". :)I, too was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis in 1985 after the birth of my first daughter. I sometimes wonder how long I had it or if my pregnancy was the precipitating factor, as is often the case. I try to keep my TSH below 2.5, I just feel better when it is in this range. I just had mine drawn last week and it is 3.44 which is unusually elevated for me and I wonder if the addition of Depakote has anything to do with this or if I just need a small dose increase in my levothyroxine from 0.112 mg. to 0.125 mg. I don't believe that Depakote can alter serum thyroid panels so I think I just need to get my dose changed to 0.125 mg. and have my TSH, T3, T4, checked in 4 to 6 weeks after I have increased my dose.
I do not have too much knowledge about chronic Lyme's disease. I'll have to do some reading about this. As far as benzos are concerned, I have changed my attitudes about long term use of small doses of benzos. I think they can be very helpful to some people. I get rebound anxiety with short-acting agents, such as alpralozam or lorazapam, but I do just fine with a longer acting benzo such as clonazepam. I was on clonazepam 1 mg. at bedtime for about 10 years and about 9 months ago my dose was increased to 2 mg. at bedtime. Recently, while in hospital, I had my dose fairly radically reduced from 2 mg. to 1.25 mg. within 14 days. The 2 mg. was making me feel very "hungover" in the morning time. I feel much, much better when I wake up.
I am now 51, and after my experience of returning to work last year, I realize my 12 hour shifts at bedside nursing are truly over and for good reason. Even for someone in the best of wellness, nurses and doctors cannot possibly begin to practice their professions in the way in which they were taught due to lack of time and resources. When I went back to work last year, I was in a state of chronic "cognitive dissonance". In other words, I knew that my ability to practice nursing safely and give quality care was absolutely impossible.
Once I have obtained a moderate degree of mood stability, I would really like to volunteer my expertise as an RN (and a darn good one at that!) and look into possibly something like "Doctors without Borders". It may just be the ticket to growing into and beyond retirement. :) Hugs, Laurie
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